Wall construction and structural unit therefor



April 1, 1930. M. JAEGER. JR 1,752,342

WALL CONSTRUCTION AND STRUCTURAL UNIT THEREFOR Filed Oct '7, 1926 5Sheets-Sheet l Q INVENTOR.

W ,4 F BY p j A TTORNEY April 1, 1930. M. JAEGER, JR 1,752,342

WALL CONSTRUCTION AND STRUCTURAL UNIT THEREFOR Filed Oct. '7, 1926 5Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY- April 1930. v M. JAEGER, JR 1,752,342

WALL CONSTRUCTION AND STRUCTURAL UNIT THEREFOR Filed Qct. 1926 5Sheets-Sheet 3 lL'f IIIlIII/II/IIIIIII/A A, 'lllllllll/l mlllllI-llllllllll INVENTOR.

M r -414.... I 9, I

April 1, 1930. M. JAEGER, JR

WALL CONSTRUCTION AND STRUCTURAL UNIT THEREFOR Filed Oct. 7, 1926 5Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY April 1; 1930. M. JAEGER', JR

WALL CONSTRUCTION AND STRUCTURAL UNIT THEREFOR Filed Oct, 7, 1926 5Sheets-$heet 5 INVEN TOR.

Patented Apr. 1, 1930 UNITED STATES MAxIM-ILIAN JAEGER, an, or s'r.ALBANS, NEW YORK WALL CONSTRUCTION AND STRUCTURAL UNIT 'LHIEIRIEJF'01R.

Application filed. October 7, 1926. seriaino. 139,990..

This invention relates generally to the construction of buildings andmore particularly to a structural unit or formfor use in buildinoperations, together with a method for using the unit in constructionwork.

It is well known that the cost of construc tion of houses and otherbuildings has undergone a substantial increase in recent years so thatthe problem of constructing houses, and more particularly houses of thesmaller type in which people of relativelyqmoderate means reside, hasbecome troublesome and serious. The cost of the construction of wood orframe houses has, of course, increased because of 1 the growing scarcityof material as the forests have become'depleted but perhaps the moreimportant item of increased cost in the construction of framebuildings,well as buildings of brick, stone, concrete, or any other type, is dueto the great increase in the cost of skilled labor employed in theconstruction work as well as in the construction of the materialsthemselves.

It is a general object of the present nvention to provide a'structuralunit or form for use in buildings'together witha method'fof constructionwhich will permit of the carrying on of building operations withrelatively unskilled and, therefore, inexpensive labor.

.Another object of the invention is to provide a means and method ofconstruction in which the cost of the completed structure is relativelylower than that of corresponding structures heretofore built in thematter of the cost of materials employed in the building operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a construction whichwill be fire- V proof which willafiord an increased degree of heatinsulation; and which in general will provide a substantial andsatisfactory build- With this and other advantages and objects in view,the invention includes the provision of a structural form or standardwhich is produced and used in repeated units to build up any desiredform or size of wall structure used in a building or other construction.This form or structural unit hasa two-part corn struction, one partforming a section of lathpart forming a longitudinally divided sectionof a shell into which concrete canbe poured to form a column or post.The formation of the two-partunit thus described is such that individualunits having exactly the same formation or size can be coupled orinterlocked with each other to form a wall structure continuous bothlaterally and vertically .to .form a wall structure of the desiredlength and height. More particularly the structural unit includes asection of perforated sheet metal having preferably .arectangularsection and adapted to form a backing support fora coat or layer ofplaster. One end of this plasterreceiving section is provided with asemi-enclosed column forming shell displaced laterally with relation tothe plaster-receiving section to share in forming a column or postmidway between the plaster-receivingsection of the unitand a similarplaster-receiving sec.- tion of the next laterally adjacent unit. Asimilar unit brought into relation to any given unit in order to producea column forming section therewith will be arranged with itsplaster-receiving section at the other side'of the wall with relation tothe plaster receiving section of the firstunit. The indefiniterepetition of an arrangement of this character will produce wallsections and intermediate column sections to produce a standard Wallconstruction. 1 Another feature of the invention resides in theprovision of vertical grooves in the confronting wall faces ofthe'column forming molds in which to receive the edges of sheets orsectionsof insulating material, such as asbestos board, or the like. VAnother feature of the invention resides in the provision of cut-outtongues so formed in the plaster-receiving sections that plaster mg orplaster-receiving surface andthe other applied to one face of thesection will pass I through the orifices from which the tongues are bentto form interlocking or anchoring portions with the opposite face ofthesection. The plaster-receiving sectionsmay be used to receiveordinary plaster, when forming the inner surface of the wall, and toreceive stucco or the like when forming the outer surface of the Wallstructure. 1

between the plaster-receiving surface and the column section of woodstrips or foundation members into Wl11Cl1 nails can be driven throughthe adjacent wall section for any de sired purpose.

The two laterally separated air chambers, which are produced in the wallstructure by the use of the insulating partition member referred to,provide useful insulating functions in that heat produced in thebuilding can be retained therein in cold weather and, on the other hand,heat can be excluded from passing through the walls into the building inwarm or hot weather. At the same time,

a high degree of insulation against the passage of sound is providedbecause of the two air chambers separated by the partition member formeditself of insulating material.

The'adaptability of the sheet metal struc ture to be bent into anydesired form is useful in providing for the passage through or in thewalls of 'pipes,wiring conduits, andthe like, and also in the formationof windows, doors, and other openings in the wall structure. The columnsare preferably formedin pairs at the corner portions of a building orwall and in other parts where additional strength is required. Thestructure also is well adapted for supporting lintel members as well asfloor and ceiling beams.

An important feature of the invention resides in the simplicity ofconstruction wherein relatively unskilled labor can set the forms intoplace, pour the concrete into the column forming molds, and connect themembers in interlocked relation to receive the plaster or stucco on theopposite surface thereof. 7 Other features of the invention will behereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, in which a number of em bodiments and adaptations ofthe invention have been selected for illustration:

Fig. 1 is a View in perspective and partly broken away showing astructural unit which forms the basis of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a clip member adapted to be'used inattaching adjacent units to each other;

Fig. 3 is a view in horizontal section showing a portion of a wallstructure in which the structural unit shown in Fig. l has been'used;Fig. 4 is a view in vertical section taken on the line H of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view in vertical section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a View in horizontal section and on an. enlarged scale takenon the line 66 of Fig. .1;

Fig. 7 is a View in horizontal section and on an enlarged scale taken onthe line 77 of Fig. 1; V

Fig. 8 is a View in vertical section and on an enlarged scale taken onthe line 88 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a View in vertical section and on constructed in accordancewith the invention;

Fig. 13 is a View in vertical section taken on the line 1313 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14- is a view in vertical section of a portion of a wall structureabove and adjacent to a window opening; 7

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. 14 showing the arrangement for a floorbeam structure;

Fig. 16 is a view in perspective showing a structural arrangement foruse with ceiling beams;

Fig. 17 is an isometrical View showing an arrangement of structure atthe corner portions of the wall of a building;

Fig. 18 is a face View showing a modified form of lathing orplaster-receiving section;

Fig. 19 is a perspective view of a modified form of clip member used inholding adjacent wall sections together;

Fig-20 is a sectional view of a detail showing a modified form ofconnection between a post forming section and an insulating part1- tionmember. 7

Referring to the drawings for a more detailed description of theinvention, in Fig. 1 there is shown a structural unit which forms thebasis of the invention and which is adapted to be used in repetition toprovide forming elements used in the construction of wall and columnmembers in building operations. This unit consists of a fiat wall facesection 21 formed preferably of a rectangular section of sheet metalhaving tongues 22 formed therein to receive and anchor a coat or layer 7of plaster or stucco in accordance with whether the section 21 is usedto form the outer or the inner face of the wall in the buildingoperation. The wall section 21 has integrally formed at one end thereofa semi-circular or semi-octagonal shell 23 which is adapted to co-actwith a similar formation on another unit to provide a form for a sectionof a vertical column or post which is incorporated in the wallstructure. The unit thus described in provided at one end'with slits oropenings 24 which are arranged to receive tongue members 25 formed atthe opposite end of another wall section 1n order to provide aninterlocking arrangementi'of adjacent wall sections to build up thedesired wall face. This interconnected relation. of the wall sections 21is clearly shown in Figs. 3and of the drawings.

,7 Provision is made for a similar interlocking of. the column formingshell sections 23. Itv will be seen that the free end of the shellsection 23 is formed with hook or tongue 7 members 26 in Fig. 1 of thedrawings and that vided for the purpose, into the partition verticalfaces of the shell sections 23.

the opposite face of the shell section 23 is provided with two sets ofhook or tongue members 27 which occupy an opposing relation. to eachother. This respective arrangement ofthe hook members 26 and the, hookmembers 27 providesv for an interlocking of the shell sections as isclearly shown in Fig. of the drawings in which the hook members 26 onthe free end of one shell section interengage with one set of the hookmembers 27 on another shell section, the extreme end portion 28 of theface bearing the hook members 26 being arranged to interlock with theother set of'hook members 27, as will be seen. By this arrangement theinterlocking of hook members may be brought about by the mere sliding ofone shell section axially along the other until the opposite faces ofeach section have become interlocked throughout their length.

It will be-seen that by the interconnecting of structuralunits in themanner described, a wall. tier or forming member can be indefinitelyprolonged, the sections 21 of the units at" one side of the row ofcolumn forming sections being extended in one direction while the wallsections 21 at the opposite side of the intervening column formingsection e2:- tend in the opposite direction. This arrangement orrelation of parts is clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

In additionto the wall forming sections 21, provision is made for makinguse, when desired, of an intervening partition member 29 which may takethe form of a sheet or plate of asbestos board or othernon-heatconductive material. The partition member 29' may be mounted bysliding its end portions into grooves 30 formed in the confronting Thepartition members 29 may be anchored in the grooves, in order to providea tension or pull as well as a compression effect, by driving nails 31through tongue members 32, promembers 29, as is shown in Fig. 3..

\Vhen a tier of units has thusbeen interconnected in the mannerdescribed to form a desiredportion of a walhconcrete 33 is poured intothe form produced by the in- 60 terconnected shell sections 23 so that arow of column or post sections is formed between the wall sections 21.Preferably the wall sections are reinforced as at at with a metal rodwhich, together with a mass 35 of concrete, occupies a recess 36 formedfor the purpose in the foundation member 37 of the" wall structure. Thisinterlocking of the post or column sections with the foundation memberobviously adds strength to the wall structure as a whole in that thepost units are thereby securely anchored or tied tothe base orfoundation member 37. The recesses 38 formed in the concrete foundationmember 37 may be produced in any desired manner preferably when thefoundation member is formed. t I

Another tier of structural units may be added above the first tier whenthe post or column sections have been poured, the wall ections 21 beingattached to each other at of the drawings, the arrangement of the clipmembers with relation to the wall sections 21 and maintained so that thecompleted wall I ace is made up of wall face sections occupy ing acommon plane to which plasterer stucco may be applied to produce thefinished wall face. it will be seen that the clip member 38 is formed ofsheet metal and may be produced in a simple stamping operation. Amodified form of clip member useful for the wee is shown at 39 in Fig.19 of the draw- This type of clip member is formed of ad acently coiledwire loops terminating in heck members, the ends of the adjacent wallsections 21 being received between the loops as will be clear. 7 v

t In order tofacilitate the holding or anchor; ing of a coat or layer ofplaster or stucco on the surfaces of the wall sections 21, depressedareas 40 are produced in repeated series throughout the outer faces ofthe wallsections. In these depressed areas the tongue members 22, whichhave already beentre ferred to, are formed. The tongue members 22 have aconcave or spoon-shaped formation on tnen plaster engaging surfaces,this formation serving to deflect plaster pressed thereagainst intoengagement with the inner faces of the wall sections. The plaster whichthus passes through the openings 6E1 between the free edges of thetongue members 22 and the inner faces of the wall sections 21 andengages the inner faces of the sections, provides anchoring sectionsorlugs of plaster which serve to hold the plaster coating or layer as awhole in position against the outer wall of the section.

It will be seen that the depressed areas 40 which are formed in theplaster-receiving sur-' heir upper and lower edges by means of lipmembers 38, such as is shown n Fig. 2'

faces of the wall sections 21 occupy relatively small areas. Forexample,the sections may extend two inches along each edge, this unit servin asa measure, which facilitates the cutting or dividing of the wallsections when necessary without the use of a rule or other measuringdevice. In addition to the form of the wall section. 21 shown in Fig. 1of the drawings, the depressed areas 40 may be arranged in an offsetrelation to each other, as is indicated in Fig. 18 of the drawings. Thisarrangement forms a relatively still? or rigid section and obviates anytendency for the sec- 6 tion to fold or bend along continuous lines;

In addition to the formation shown in Fig. 18, the tongue members 22 areformed on the diagonals of the square sections lnstead of on the fiatfaces as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

V The post or column forming sections 23 are preferably reinforced bytransverse bead members 42 which may also have tongue members 43 formedtherein to facilitate an poured into the shell formed the concrete bytwo mterpropriate material into which nails may be driven through thewall section for any de sired purpose.

An example of such an arrangement is shown 1n Fig. 12 of the drawingswherein a foundation member 45 is inserted between the furring strips 44are preferably provided 45. i the plaster or stucco coatings 48, 49 orfrom adapted to receive a plaster coating 48 on the column or pier 46and the adjacentwall section 21. This foundation or block member isadapted to have nails driven therein through the wall section for anydesired purpose. The

with inverted V-shaped corrugations 47, as isshown in Fig. 4 of thedrawings. The oppositely inclined corrugations thus provided serve toprevent moisture passing either from the concrete 33 in the pier 46across the intervemng gap provided by the furrmg strip section.

' It will be clear that the wall sections 21 are inside wall and acorresponding stucco coatmg 49 on the outslde wall, as is shown in F 1g.12' of the draw1ngs,1t0 thereby provide a finished wall structure. Inaddition, if desired, 7

i a brick facing or veneer for the outside surface of the wall may beprovided, as is shown at 50 in Fig. 11 of the drawings.

Referring again to Fig. 12'0f the drawings, there is shown anarrangement of the structure where a window opening is provided. It willbe seen that the wall forming section 21 has in this case been bent atan angle as at 51 and again at 52 to produce a rectangular section toform an end or terseparating strip 53 may be used-as a support to whichthe wall section 21 may be nailed. At the terminal portion of a wallthus provided the window frame members shown genorally at 54 maybeplaced in position following known arrangements for this purpose."

in 13 of the drawings there is shown the arrangement of parts justbeneath the window opening in which the pier 46 terminates at 55 andforms a seat on which a horizontal beam 56 may be placed to receive thewindow sill member 57. V

in Fig. 14 of the drawings there is shown the arrangement of parts abovethe window opening, in which a lintel member 58f0rmed of concrete by theuse of shell sections 23;

such as are used in forming the piers or columns-46, are used in ahorizontal position for the purpose. In this instance again, the wallsection member21 is bent, as in Fig. 12, to provide a terminal memberfor the upper portion of the window opening into which the windowframing 54 can be inserted, as will be clear. I

In Fig. 15 of the'drawings, there is shown an arrangement of partswherein a horizontal structure 59 forming the upper terminus of a wallis formed in much the same manner that the lintel member 58 in Fig. 14formed together with a floor beam-member 60 extending at right angles tothe beam member shown at 59. It will be seen that the forming units usedin producing the stand-. ard wall sections are capable of considerablevariationin position and configuration in order to adapt the forms foruse in producing different details of a buildingstructure.

In Fig. 16 of the drawings there is shown an adaptation of the inventionat the upper end of a wallstructure wherein a support taking the form ofan anglebeam 61 is provided on which to rest the ends of ceiling beammembers 62. The angle beam 61 rests on the upper ends of the piers orposts 46, as will be clear. The angle members 61 may be cut out as at 63to provide openings through which vertical pipes or electrical conductorsheathing may be passed, if desired Referring to Fig. 17 of thedrawings, there is shown an arrangement of structure in the formation ofa corner portion of a wall. It

minal portion for the wall. A furring or i will be seen that two piers46 are arranged in closely adjacent relation to provide a double supportat this point. This arrangement of the pier members is easily providedby the bending and cutting of the wall sections 21 in the manner shownto bring the shell sections 23, in which the pillars are formed, inclose adjacency to each other and with an angular extension of both ofthe wall sections 21 to provide the corner or angle 64 which representsthe corner of the wall structure. At 66 is shown a cut-out section ofthe wall member 21 to provide for the reception of abeam member 67. At68. are shown sections of pipes which may'beplaced in thei'nner space 69formed betweenithe.innervvall' section and the partition member 29. Theplacing or" Water carrying pipes in the inner space as shownprotects'the pipes from freezing" as w'i ll befclear. I f I L f InFi 20of the drawingsthereis shown amodified form of groove 7 Girl the shellsec tion 23 Which provides a" dovetail connection; between the grooveand the engaged edge of the partition member 29, thereby eliminating thenails at 31 and tab at 32- as shown: in Figure l. c I p,

The openitgs which are formediin thegfur ring. strip sections 44 by thecutting of the tongues 25 therein may be usefully employed. in providinglateral-communication between the air spaces. These ope'r'i'ings may besupplemented by other openings formed for the purpose so that, ineffect, a contlnuous air space is formed along the whole length of theWall. This air space may be usefully employed in the distribution ofheat, hot air being supplied to the inner Wall chamber for the purposeand openings being provided for the passage of hot air from the chamberlnto the rooms. V

WVhile I havereferred to sheet metal as a preferred material for thepurpose, I contemplate also the use of other materials suitable for thepurpose. \Voven Wire, with or Without a. paper backing, may be employed.I may also make use of cast iron, or fiber,

1 or any other suitable material.

It Will be seen that I have provided a structural unit for use inbuilding operations which is capable of indefinite repetition to form aWall structure of any desired size. The unit can be bent or cut orotherwise treated to readily adapt it for use in forming the Variousdetails of structure Whichoccur in a building operation. The cost ofconstructing a building in which the structural unit described is usedis less than that by which a building, constructed by any process incurrent use, can be accomplished. I I

The terms and expressions which I have emplayed are used as termsofdescription and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the useof such terms and expressions, of eX- cluding any mechanical equivalentsof the features shown and described, or portions thereof, but recognizethat Various structural modifications are possible Within the scope ofthe invention claimed.

What I claim is v 1. In a structural unit for Walls, a Wall face sectionhaving a plaster-receiving surface, and a pier-forming shell sectionconnected to the Wall face section and occupying a position parallelthereto, the pier-forming section constituting one-half of the pier formwhereby tWo similar units can be assembled to provide a closed form forpouring p i I, Ina stri'lc'tural unit for"Walls,-a vvallzfa'ce sectionformed of sheet metal andhaving a plaster-receiving surface, and a pierformi'ngf shell section integrally connected'to the wall section tooccupy a position: on the opposite side ofthe Wa'll section withrelatioirto the plaster receivingj surface, the pier-formingsectionconstituting one-half'of the pier'f'orm whereby two: similar units; canbe assembled to provide a closed 'for m for pouring a: pier.

Ina structural unit for walls, a Wall face section formed of perforatedsheet metal having a plaster-receiving surface, and a? longitudinaldivided pier=forming shell sec;- tion connected to the Wall face"section ad jacent one end thereof and occupying a posi tion at theopposit'e side of the shell section Withrelati on tothe-plaster-receiving surface,

being adapted to interen'gage with a simi-la-r semi cylindrica-l shellsection of another un'itto p'rov de a-Iclosed pier-forming 880131011;

v 5. In a structural unit for alls, a all face section formed of sheetmetal, said section being turned at" right angles at one end' formedinto a substantially semi-octagonal shell extending parallel to the Wallfacesec tion, s'aid semi-octagonal shel1seeti0nbeing adapted to'interengage' with a similar. semioctagonal shell. section o'f-anotherunit to provide a closed: pier-forming section, and-L said shell sectionbeing provided With: a groove, adapted: to receive one end of :ai pantition member; arranged parallel to, the wall facesection. p v 6. In a.Wall construction, an interconnected; series ofpermanently positionedform units each of- Which comprises a'. combined all face section and a"pier sectionlshell formed of sheet metal, the pier sections co.operating. to form closedpierforms for'pou'rf ing isolated piersleaving. blank spaces sur? roundingthe same in the finished Wall. l

7.' In a wall construction, a series 0t per; manen't'ly" positioned formunits each of vvhich comprisesa. combinedwall face s'e'c tion" and" apier section: shell formed of sheet metal, said units being comi ectedtogether in an edge'to" edge relation, the pierisecti'ons v cooperaiting to form. closed" pier forms for pouring isolated piers leavingblank spaces? surroundingthe same-in the finishedwall.

I tion and a pier section shell formed of sheet 8. In a wallconstruction, a series of permanently positioned form units each ofwhich comprises a combined wallface section and a piersection shellformedof sheet metal,

said wall face sections being interconnected and forming aplastersupportingsurface, and said piersection' shells beinginterconnected and providing forms for concrete piers spaced from saidwall face sections.

9. In a wall construction, a series of permanently positioned form unitseach 'of which comprises a combined wall face secmetal, said wallface'sections and pier section shells being interconnected toform twoplaster supporting surfaces spaced apart by the thickness of thewalltogether with vertical forms for concrete piers, said pier forms beinglocated in the space between the Wall surface sections and closedwhereby isolated piers are formed in the finished wall.

10. In awall construction, a series of permanently positioned form unitsveachf'of which comprises a combined wall face section and a piersection shell formed of sheet metal, said wall face sections and piersec tion shells being interconnected to form two plaster supportingsurfaces spaced apart by the thickness of the Wall together withvertical forms for concrete piers, said pier forms being located in thespace between the wall face sections and provided with vertical- 5arranged to dividethe pier members into sections, said T-plat'e membersserving also as floor beam supporting members. I

12. In a wall construction, spaced apart wall face sections, concretepier members placed intermediate the wall face sections, furring stripmembers spacing the wall face sections from the pier members, and saidfurringstrip members being provided with openings to provide lateralcommunication betweenthe spaces between the pier members.

13. A hollow wall-construction providing wall faces with air spacestherebetween and spaced piers between said wall faces compris-.

ing a series of permanently positioned sheet metal form units each ofwhich comprises a combined jwall face section and a pier sec-- tionshell, said wallface sections and pier section shells beinginterconnected'to form 5 two plaster supporting surfaces spaced apart bythe thickness of the wall, together with vertical forms for concretepiers located in thespaces between the wall face sections.

14. A hollow wall construction providing Wallfaces with air spacestherebetween and.

spaced piers between said wall faces comprising a series of permanentlypositioned sheetmetal form units eachof which comprises a combined wallface section and a pier section shell, said wall face sections and piersection shells being interconnected to form two plaster supportingsurfaces spaced apart by the thickness of the wall, together withvertical forms for concrete piers located in the spaces between the wallface sections, together with insulating partitions extending betweensaid piers and dividing the open spaces into separate compartments.MAXIMILIAN J AEGER, J R.

